By Brian Donnelly

AN ISLAND food producer is celebrating after increasing sales by 538 per cent since last year and is anticipating further significant growth.

Whalsay Made’s homemade preserves, chutneys and sauces including sweet chilli sauce, gin and lime marmalade and carrot marmalade are proving to be a big hit after a move to expand the firm.

Based on the Isle of Whalsay in Shetland, owner Donna Polson hailed the support she received from Business Gateway.

Set up as a small operation providing products directly to those in the local area, Ms Polson moved to scale up her offering in 2019 and turned to the national business advice service for support.

The success and significant demand for her products has meant that the business is now in a position to expand further, and she is working to identify funding opportunities to allow for the construction of new business premises close to her house.

This will enable another stage of growth for the firm, which is currently run out of Ms Polson’s kitchen following approval by the Shetland Islands Council Environmental Health Department.

Ms Polson said: “I hope to soon take on my first employee to support with orders and deliveries.”